Pottery making machine



June 14, 1-938. w E 2,120,253

. POTTIERY MAKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 27, 1936 SCI Villa ns INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 14, 1938.

G. w. LANE POTTERY MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2'7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G-WLane ATTORN EV Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oF- ica 1 Claim.

The invention relates to alpotterymaklng machine and more especially to a semi-automatic pottery forming apparatus. v

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a machine or apparatus of this character, wherein the molds for the-pottery clay are carried upon a turntable and the same are brought into position automatically and locked in such position for confronting a distributing tool for the formation of pottery ware and such apparatus or machine being of novel, construction in itsbntlrety so as to enable increased production with dispatch of pottery.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus'or machine of this character, wherein the tool for the formation of pottery ware is manually operated and under manual operation controls the working ofthe machine or apparatus for the bringing of the pottery molds successively in position and the looking or holding of each mold when confronting the tool for the making of the pottery ware.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus or machine of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and emcient in operation, enabling the easy handling thereof in the production of pottery ware, and inexpensive to manufacture.

with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the 85 preferred embodiment of the invention and pointedlout in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is top plan view of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

4 Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same partly in section. I r

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-4 of Figure '2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail. A designates generally the machine 'or apparatus com- 60 prising a suitable base or bed l0 above Jwhich is arranged a turntable ll fixed to a perpendicular hub l2 rotatably iournaled upon a stationary post or axle I I suitably fixed at its lower end in a casting therefor as carried by the base or bed It.

66 The hub I2 is provided .with a gear l4 meshing with a pinion l5 fixed to a stud shaft l6 journaled in a lower bearing l1 onthe bed or base l0 and'an upper bearing l8 clamped to the post If so that this stud shaft i6 is parallel with and spaced from the said post. The-stud shaft l6 has thereon 5 a worm gear I!) meshing with a worm screw 20- formed on a drive shaft 2i journaled in bearings 22 on and rising from the base or bed ill. The shaft 2i has splined or keyed thereto'a shiftable male member 23 of a friction clutch, the female 10 member 24 of which is made fast to a shaft 25 companion to "the shaft 2|. This shaft 25 is" journaled in bearings 26 on and rising from the bed or base l0.

Upon the bed or base! at a suitable location 15 and in turn when the shaft 2| is clutched there- 25- with it will be driven thereby.

' Carried by the base or bed l0 isa verticalplvot stud 34 for a horizontal swinging forked throw arm 35, its fork 88 being loosely engaged with the male member'a of theclutch. This arm is engaged with a vertically swinging rocking lever '31, its pivot 38 being in an upright 39 on and 'rising from the base or bed ill. The heel end ,of the lever 31 is fitted with a stock roller 40 upon a vertical axle stud 4i and adapted to en- 5 gage in any one of a series of notches 42 .pro-

- 'vided in the periphery of the turntable I I. These notches 42 are uniformly spaced from each other and 'when the roller engages in any one of the same the said table II is latched against move- 40 ment. i

Fitted on. the turntable ll close to the outer periphery thereof is a series of spaced article molds 43, each having associated therewith jiggin'g mechanism including a head 44 and such mechanism is operated. in a conventional manner, as. for example, through friction gearing 4i operated from the shaft 2|.

The post it. is extended above the turntable II and has fulcrumed at its upper end 4| a tool carrying lever 41 whichis-formed with a depending' toe 44 engageable with the heel "40 of the lever 31. This lever 41 carries an adiustabie tool SI for the shaping of the content of each so ing position.

The turntable II has fitted therewith a centering ring ll while carried by the lever 41 is a.

combined centering and locking key or bolt 52 having a substantially V-shaped or wedging edge J3 for seating in V-shaped notches 54 provided in the upper edge of the ring SI and this key or bolt when engaging a companion notch I4 functions to center the roller ll in the notch 42 receiving the same so as to assure the centering of the tool "with respect to the work in a confronting mold l3 therewith.

When the lever 41 at its handle end 55 is raised the toe l8 presses upon the heel 49 of the lever 41 which connects the member 23 with the member u of the clutch and thus the said clutch will join the shafts 2| and 25 with each other so that motion from the motor 21 will be submitted.

through the gear I4 and pinion II to the turn table II for its rotation and in this fashion in successive order advancing the-molds 43 to working position with relation to the tool 50. When the lever 41 is depressed the turntable I i is latched against movement and the member 23 is disengaged from the member 24 of the clutch so that driving power from the motor 21 is cut 08 -from the turntable II. The shaft 2. has trained over the pulley 3| thereon a belt 50 which is also trained over a pulley I! on a shafting 58 of the gearing so that in this manner power from the motor 21 is conveyed to the friction gearing 45 for the operation of the jigging mechanism 4.

In this instance the turntable II is provided with a group of eight molds and itis, of course, understood that the group may be decreased or increased as to the number of molds included therein.

The apparatus or machine is semi-automatic as the tool is manually controlled in the production of pottery ware.

The male member is urged into clutching relation to the member 24 oi the said group by a coiled expansion spring '9 while engaged with the lever 31 is a coiled retractile spring ill operating to lift the heel end of the said lever to throw the roller 40 into a notch when confronting the same in the turntable II on the lowering of the lever 41.

What is claimed is:

A machine of the character described comprising a turntable having edge notches, molds carried by the turntable close to its periphery, jigger -mechanism cooperating with the molds, a tool-carrying lever pivotally supported for vertical movement above said turntable, power mechanism for driving the turntable and having a releasing clutch, means for engaging the notches in the turntable and operatively connected with the clutch and actuated by said toolcarrying lever for effecting the disengagement of said means from a notch in the turntable and the simultaneous closing of said clutch, and means on the tool-carrying lever and engageable with the turntable for the centering of a tool with respect to the mold on the opening of the clutch and the engagement of the first-named means in the notch in said table.

' GEORGE wnsma LANE. 

